Applicator



July 6 1926.

N. H. HORNE APPLICATOR Filed Jan. 2, 1925 Kid Patented July 6, 1926.

NEWTON H. HORNE, OF,KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

APPLICATOR.

Application filed January 2, 1925. Serial No. 212'.

This invention relates to improvements in ointment applicators and moreparticularly to an applicator designed for use in applying ointments orother medicinal preparations to affected parts of the rectum in thetreatment 'of'piles, hemorrhoids, and fistula. Heretofore, greatdifficulty has been experienced by physicians in applying medicaments inthe rectum, especially where the seat of trouble is located relativelyhigh up in the rectum. Various types of applicators have been devisedfor this purpose but they, as a'rule, embody disadvantageous featureswhich inhibit, their successful use. Therefore, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an applicator by the use of whichmedicaments such as ointments may be thoroughly and successfully appliedto the affected parts of the rectum, regardless of the'location 0f thesaid affected parts, and in this manner the maximum benefit derived fromthe medicament.

One of the disadvantages presented by the ordinary applicator designedfor the purpose above outlined, is that the ointment or other medicamentis liable to be taken up by the Walls of the rectum near the anus sothat if the affected area is located near the upper end of the rectum,there will be an insuiiicient quantity of the medicament remaining uponthe applicator to serve any useful purposefby the time the applicatorhas been inserted tot-he distance to reach theaffected area. .Therefore,it is another important object of the present invention to so form theexterior surface of the applicater that'substantially all of themedicament will remain intact upon the surface of the applicator untilthe applicator has been inserted sufficiently far into the rectum toreach the affected area, thereby providing means whereby themedicamentmay be carried directly to the place'where it is most needed a-nd vhereit Will best serve its purpose.

Another disadvantage presented by the ordinary applicator resides in'thefact that that portion of the instrument Which is to be introducedintothe rectum is more or less rigid and hard so that not only isinconvenience caused to the patient, but the walls of the rectum arelikewise liable to be irritated, thereby aggravating the diseasedconditions. The present invention, therefore, has as a further object toprovide an applicator which will be soft and pliable and capable ofyielding to any resistance offered to its insertion, to an extent toprevent inconvenience being caused the patient.

and yet not to an extent to actually interi'ere with the insertion ofthe applicator into the rectum.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an applicatorfor the pur-' pose stated above, which may be inserted into the rectumand, after the affected part has been reached, may be permitted toremain in position for a suflicient length of time to permit themedicament carried upon the outer surface thereof to become absorbed andexert its healing properties, the

presence of the applicator under these conditions causing noinconvenience whatsoever to the patient because of the peculiarconstruction of the applicator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an appli cator constructed in accordanceWith the present invention;

Figure 2 is-a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on theline 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustratingthe manner in whichthe applicator is to be prepared for insertion into the rectum. i

The applicator embodying the invention consists of a soft hollow rubberbody of substantially elongate ellipsoidal form, the

.body being indicated in general by the illustrated form and yet theWall is not ofv such thickness as to render it stiff or inflerc ible.The two ends of the body are more or less blunt, and in practice thebody will be substantially of a length equal to the length of theaverage human rectum, namely approximately five inches.

For a purpose to be presently explained,

the exterior surface of the Wall of the applicator is formed, betweenits mid-portion and its end 2, With intersecting relatively shallowoutstanding ridges t providing approximately diamond shaped shallowpockets 5, the ridges being molded on the surface of the soft rubberWall. The exterior surface of the wall of the applicator between itssaid mid-portion and its end 3 is preferably provided with substantiallycircumferentially extending ridges G which are likewise relativelyshallow as illustrated in Figure 2. Likewise, for a purpose to bepresently explained, the applicator is formed in its end 3 with anopening indicated by the numeral 7. The inner surface of the wall of theapplicator is formed smooth.

Preparatory to actual use of the applicator, the physician will dustinto the palm of his left hand a small quantity of talcum powder andwill compress the applicator in his right hand, thus expelling the airfrom the same through the opening 7. He will then apply the end 3 of theapplicator to the powder and by relieving the applicator of pressure,will permit it to expand, thus creating a partial vacuum through themedium of which the powder will be drawn through the opening 7 into theapplicator. The applicator is then shaken or otherwise manipulated untilthe entire inner surface of the wall thereof has become coated with thepowder. The applicator is then in condition for use and in using thesame the physician will place the tip of the forefinger of the righthand over the opening 7 and against the end 3 of the applicator, holdingthe applicator in his left hand, and will press inwardly longitudinallyuntil his tinger has entered the applicator and the end 3 of theapplicator has been carried into the body thereof approximately an inch.In this operation, the air trapped in the applicator is compressed andprevented from escaping through the opening 7 by reason of the fact thatthis opening 15 now closed by the tip of the forefinger, as statedabove. The end portion 2 of the applicator is now rubbed over or in theointment or other medicament to be applied until its exterior surface atthis end has become more or less thickly coated with the medicament. Dueto the fact that the trapped air in the applicator is placed underpressure through the inward movement of the end portion 3 of theapplicator, the portion of the applicator at and beyond the tip of thefinger will be sustained by the compressed air to an extent to preventits collapse and render it more or less inflexible. The applicator isnow inserted into the rectum and to such distance as to bring themedicament carrying end portion 2 thereof in direct contact with theaffected area of the wall of the rectum. In inserting the applicator,the medicament, being more or less confined within the shallow pockets 5formed by the intersecting ridges l, will be prevented from being takenup by the wall of the rectum between the affected area and the anus sothat the medicament is carried, practically without any loss in volume,to the affected area. It will be evident that, due to the pneumaticcushion effect produced by the compression of air within the enteringend of the applicator, that the applicator may be inserted without anylikelihood of bending or doubling and yet the wall of the applicator issufficiently yield-able to avoid any inconvenience to the patient. Theapplicator having been inserted in the manner just stated. the lingermay be withdrawn and in this operation, the ridges 6 will-constitutefriction means insuring the end portion 3 of the applicator being drawnoutwardly to its original position. in which position it will extendsuiliciently far beyond the anus as to permit of its being grasped forthe purpose of completely withdrawing the applicator after theapplicator has remained in position within the rectum for a sufficientperiod of time to insure of the most beneficial results being obtainedfrom the medicament.

It will be evident that the purpose of drawing talcum or similar powderinto the applicator through the opening 7 as previously described, is tocoat the interior surface of the wall of the applicator so that as theend portion 3 is pushed into the body of the applicator in the mannershown in Figure the contacting wall surfaces will ride smoothly pasteach other and there will he no appreciable friction between the wallsurfaces as would otherwise be the case.

Having thus what I claim is:

1. Au applicator of the class described comprising a hollow elongateellipsoidal body of I leldable material, the entering end portion ofwhich is formed upon its exterior surface with medicament receivingpockets, the exterior surface of the body at its other end portion beingprovided with circumscribing relatively shallow ridges to frictionallyhold the last-mentioned end portion of the device in engagement with alinger insertet therein. 7 M

2. An applicator of the class described comprising a hollow elongatedellipsoidal body of yieldable material adapted to hold a medicament uponits surface and formed at one end with a perforation adapted to beclosed by a linger employed to force the adjacent end portionlongitudinally inward, the last-mentioned end portion of said body beingroughened to frictionally hold the same in engagement with a fingerinserted therein.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

described the invention,

xnwrox n. norm. 1. s. 1

